CPT

CPT stands for Curricular Practical Training. In short, CPT is equivalent to an internship course taken as part of your major’s curriculum. You can apply for CPT if you have a legitimate job and attend a school that allows CPT.

-Full-time CPT allows students to work 40 hours a week during their internship outside of school. It should be noted that if international students use full-time CPT for more than 12 months, then they will be unable to apply for OPT after graduation.

-Part-time CPT allows students to work 20 hours a week.

It is important to note that students are required to follow this guideline whether they are applying for full-time or part-time CPT:

The practical work experience is for credit and directly related to your field of study. The start and end times must be close to the beginning and end of the semester. CPT cannot start before the start of the semester nor after the end of the final exam. Summer CPT cannot start before the last day of the Spring exam.

We are able to help students apply for schools with flexible hours and multiple start dates throughout the year. Students should choose a school that is the most suitable for their own CPT start date. In addition, it is important to note that to receive CPT, students must be in full attendance of class. Some schools have flexible class schedules where students do not need to attend class every week. There are schools that allow students to choose classes on weekends. Students must make arrangements to attend their classes. 

To start looking at CPT school options, students must be sure of their OPT expiration date. When OPT ends, students have a 60 day grace period that allows them to legally stay in the United States, but are ineligible to work. Therefore, it is recommended that students who have a job offer should transfer their I-20 to the new school before their OPT expires so they can seamlessly switch to CPT and begin their internship. As a reminder, students should apply for a school three months in advance before their OPT experiences in order to successfully be approved of CPT in a timely manner. Individual schools have specific deadlines and requirements. For more information on the latest CPT schools and policies please email us at info @ hy-nyc.com or give us a call at (646) 926-0887 and one of our experienced consultants will answer your questions. Thank you!